Right-wing Cryptocurrency and Left-wing Artificial Intelligence: The Collision of Technology and Values

The 2025 Bitcoin Conference is in full swing in the United States.

I have never had much interest in this conference filled with politicians and businessmen, as I could easily guess what they would say.

However, Vance's speech at the conference caught my attention.

Shenchao published the full translation of this speech (see reference link at the end).

In this speech, three points were quoted that were refreshing and resonated strongly with me:

"Cryptocurrency is essentially a conservative or right-wing technology, while artificial intelligence is essentially a left-wing or centralized technology."

"Many smart right-wing tech talents are attracted to Bitcoin, while many smart left-wing tech talents are engaged in AI."

"I do not want the development of AI to negatively impact U.S. national interests. The best way to ensure that smart, visionary people are involved in this AI dialogue is to make the Bitcoin community a part of the AI conversation."

Before sharing my views, let me first introduce the Western traditional definitions of right and left.

In a more general sense:

The right advocates for a small government, values individual effort, and promotes a free economy, with a strong vigilance against centralization, control, and intervention. The right is also known as conservatives.

The left advocates for a large government, values government control over society, and promotes government intervention in the economy. The left is also known as liberals.

In modern society, pure right and left no longer exist; it is merely a matter of whether there is a bit more right or a bit more left.

Vance's point about Bitcoin attracting the right and AI attracting the left immediately reminded me of some very typical figures in these two ecosystems.

One of the pioneers of Bitcoin, Wei Dai, planted a seed in his heart after witnessing his grandfather's tragic experiences during the Cultural Revolution: the hope of using technology to create a society where individuals are free from the oppression of power.

Satoshi Nakamoto has gone to great lengths to conceal his identity online, leaving no trace.

…

In my years of interacting with friends involved in the crypto ecosystem, I have noticed an interesting phenomenon: whenever the conversation goes deeper, I can often guess their values and, consequently, their true attitude towards Bitcoin. When I carefully inquire about their operations with Bitcoin, I almost always find a common point:

Participants with strongly right-leaning views almost invariably hold onto a portion of Bitcoin. Although they may trade, there is always a part they keep and never sell. Regarding this practice of holding some without selling, they excitedly say it is a tribute to Satoshi Nakamoto.

Therefore, I have always believed that investing in the crypto ecosystem without the support of values is unlikely to yield substantial returns. I do not believe that Zhao Changpeng sold his house to buy Bitcoin purely for commercial reasons, without any underlying value-based beliefs driving him.

My impression of AI participants is almost entirely encapsulated by Altman. His close cooperation with the U.S. government and his project requiring participants to exchange their irises for tokens vividly reflect his worship of power and desire for control.

Another typical figure in the tech circle, akin to Altman, is Zuckerberg.

Most articles and media that extol artificial intelligence are almost entirely immersed in the joy brought by the rapid efficiency and sensory experience of this technology, with few expressing concerns about what might happen if AI falls into the hands of evil.

Most articles and media that dismiss crypto technology invariably discuss its shortcomings and uselessness in terms of efficiency and costs, never understanding the great significance of crypto technology in enabling humanity to achieve financial freedom and escape centralized control.

A few times, out of curiosity, I looked for other articles by the authors of such pieces and found that they were filled with a sense of elite control over the masses and a pleasure in crawling before power.

Only in the crypto ecosystem have I seen explorers like Vitalik continuously seeking ways to decentralize as much as possible and improve so that Ethereum can withstand attacks from powerful sovereign states.

About two years ago, I wrote in an article that during a roadshow in Hong Kong, I saw a foreign team propose a method of training AI using decentralized datasets. Although that proposal had many issues and seemed immature, such ideas and perspectives are mostly only found in the crypto ecosystem.

Of course, top tech figures promoting AI will also pay attention to crypto technology. Altman launched his Worldcoin and layer-two expansion, while Zuckerberg is restlessly reviving his stablecoin plan. But their core purpose is not for human freedom; rather, it is to control more users and resources, providing more value to their ecosystems.

These two types of people are fundamentally different.

Perhaps this is what Vance meant when he said, "Many smart right-wing tech talents are attracted to Bitcoin, while many smart left-wing tech talents are engaged in AI."

In previous articles, I have also shared my expectations for the best scenario combining AI and Crypto: that is to decentralize the computing power and data of AI using the decentralized methods of crypto technology, so that this revolutionary invention is not controlled by any centralized institution. Only in this way can it truly benefit all humanity and become a great invention that humanity can be proud of; otherwise, it may create disasters and become a weapon of human destruction.

Vance's expression of not wanting AI to negatively impact the U.S. and hoping for the Bitcoin community to join AI is precisely the combination of these two technologies that I look forward to.

The points Vance quoted, in my view, are the best annotations of the values represented by crypto technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the best interpretation of the complementarity between these two technologies.

My inherent impression of politicians is that they only speak lies, platitudes, and empty words, but Vance was able to quote/express such brilliant points, which truly surprised me.

A person without a STEM background can understand the values behind these two cutting-edge technologies to this extent, which surpasses the vast majority of participants in these two ecosystems.

I now somewhat understand why Peter Thiel from Silicon Valley has long funded Vance and tirelessly supported him.

If such a person were to become the President of the United States in the future, then crypto technology and artificial intelligence would only accelerate their pace on that land.